Modcloth for the Rack

Modcloth for the Rack

fashion style    2:55 PM   

I don't normally shill, Fashionable Reader, but I do like Mocloth. I also think, in the main, they are overpriced. However, currently they are having a sale, so I'm lying up a little under the weather and thought I might poke about and pick a few Retro Rack favorites.

Bathing Suits

Why I like it: black and white check, bow detailing at the neckline brings attention up to the face, side rouching and linear seam detracts from chest size, halter top shows off shoulders.

Why I like it: just look at that color? So good. It's like a cocktail dress for the beach. Halter top shows of nice shoulders, rouching hides chub, long full front seam allows for larger bust.

 Why I like it: gingham, I do love gingham, halter top shows of nice shoulders, rouching hides chub, I'm a little concerned by the angled sides and the short front seam allowing enough room for the bust, but I might risk it for this suit.

Why I like it: red with white dots, so cute, seaming is very flattering, boy short bottoms are comfy (and require so much less shaving), nice thick supportive straps, white edge at neckline to draw attention upward to the face, very 1930s look.

Dresses

Why I like it: dark black lace detailing at the neck drawing attention up to the face, higher neckline giving Rack lots of room, darker lace over the chest area with lighter blue and less lace down the bottom again dividing and drawing attention away, seams in the hips allowing for volume. Not in love with the cap sleeves, but . . .

Why I like it: black peter pan collar and cream color gives innocence to shorter skirt length, detailing at the neck drawing attention up to the face, higher neckline giving Rack lots of room. Wide belt and lots of picks over tummy to hide all sins, shorter length made sweet by blue ruffle.

Why I like it: cross front but not a warp, pegged high and enough to cover the Rack, very vintage and muted color pallet, design of dress nips in at lower ribs normally smallest part of the body so worth emphasizing, sash detail, nice full skirt not too long would look adorable with flats.

Why I like it: what you thought there wouldn't be a steampunk pick? And steampunk for a hot day? Practically impossible to find.

Skirts

Why I like it: A-line is a practically perfect shape for anyone, adds volume to balance out the Rack but not too much to make a lady with hips too hippy. Teal is a nice unexpected choice, pair with a black top to keep attention down towards the legs, again, great with flats.

Why I like it: Such a cute pattern, I have thing for anything equestrian, a little fuller than an A-line but still not too much volume, and pockets, I love pockets!  Again a nice pattern draws attention down away from chest, pair with a brown top to keep attention towards the legs, again, great with flats.

Why I like it: a pencil skirt with a fish tail and in cherry red? What's not to like?

Others

 Why I like it: Ladybug nail art, see Blameless.

Why I like it: The only top I chose, a pussy cat, not sheer, with half length sleeves. So flattering, slimming, feminine, and minimizing. Modcloth has it in other colors, but I like of like the turquoise.

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

Riding Habits from 1850 to Today

Riding Habits from 1850 to Today

fashion style    11:56 AM   

I know Retro Rack is generally intended for retro style in the modern world, but occasionally we stray into vintage. Today, Fashionable Readers, will be one of those days.

 Princess Alice

For reasons to do with the Soulless manga (Vol. 2), I recently found myself researching Victorian riding fashions.

 1873 Peterson's riding habit

I started out in 1873 (Soulless) and moved forward into the 1890s (Parasol Protectorate Abroad).

1895 Bifurcated-riding-ensemble

Then I drifted quite happily backwards in time to 1851 (Etiquette & Espionage).

 1854 Vicky and Alice

So goes the rabbit hole of research. The interesting thing to me was how little this particular attire changed. Designed for side saddle the skirts were long, the look quite military in influence and the cloth, mainly, somber in color.

So here is a retrospective on the riding habit.

1850s

1850_laver_riding

Note the lady's topper? Also the jacket over vest clearly taking influences fro menswear? The skirt is narrower in width but with lots of volume and excess length so that it will drape as she rides. This time period also so a kind of early fedora meets sun hat as a riding hat as well. More practical, if you ask me.

1855

1856

1857 Killerton, Riding Habits

Here we can see the beginning of two ideas: velvet for a riding jacket (which persists to this day) and the idea of the jacket coordinating with, but not perfectly matching, the bottom of the outfit.

1860s

1860s riding habits

Note the front striping created by epillets on the right hand dress? That's classic riding habit styling that persisted throughout the Victorian era.

 1861 and 1862

The perch hat becomes popular for riding, it will also slide into common use for walking dresses in the 1870s. It's one of my favorite hats. Also the ladies topper returns, and we start to see lighter colored riding habits matched to the hat.

1870s

1870 Germany

This one is German. I love the bowler, I've not seen that before.

 Early and late 1870s habits, not that different.

Mid 1870s, again the lighter color.

1870s Riding Corset.

Riding corsets were "cut down" or shortened, particularly on the sides to make them more comfortable for riding. Much later on they also seem to be the first corsets to incorporate elastic panels for comfort.

1871

 1872 Riding Habit The Metropolitan Museum of Art

 1872 fashion plates for riding habits. 

Not detail is being paid to the hem and to the pleating of the underskirt because it is sometimes seen? *gasp* Also the lady's topper begins to have perch components. Also women begin to wear larger and larger ties, bow ties, and cravats. This would eventually culminate in the pussycat bow, of which you all know I am a big fan.

 1872 Sketch Rotten Row Rich Families Horse Riding Trees

1873 Equestrian-Portrait-Of-Mademoiselle-Croizette

The topper beginning to get taller, and more masculine.

1876

Note the long line of the jacket front? This is influence from the cuirasse bodice and the impending princess cut.

1880s

 1880s 

We begin to see full men's style ascot toppers and much narrow skirt. Also the cross-over asymmetrical tops.

 1885-1886 Riding Jacket The Victoria & Albert Museum

1885-1895 Riding Hat

1900s

It's so exciting, do you know what happens after the turn of the century? Dress reform!! Well, dress reform was earlier, but it finally takes off. And you know what that means? Trousers!

1909 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

1910s

 1916; 1918 Woman's Riding Habit, ca by Missouri History Museum

1920s

 1920 Riding Habits; 1920 Gladys Wagner modeling

 1920’s Riding habit McCord Museum; 1924 (note the awesome hunter boots?); 1929-1930 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

1930s

1935 Mrs John V Bouvier III

1938 Bette Davis’ entrance clad in a riding habit for Jezebel

1939 The Meadow Brook Hall Historic Costume

Note how strong the shoulder is becoming?

I myself own a 1930s grey riding habit. I wear it on occasion for steampunk events. I got it cheap from Decades of Fashion for $45 because it had moth holes in it. I went over and darned them, since I knew it was for steampunk I figured I could add some decoration over them if I had to. The darning worked well enough and since I moved and it's been in storage I haven't had a chance to wear it or do anything more to it. It's also wool, so I have to be careful because I have an allergy. Hopefully, in a few years when I migrate to a bigger pad, I'll get an opportunity to wear it more.

Just the pants (paired with a Ravenswood bodice)

My pants end just bellow the knee and have no syrups, but they aren't puffed like jodhpurs. This pluss the sharpness of the shoulders on the jacket makes me guess that my habit is from 1936-38.

1940s

 1940 Riding Hat

1943 Riding Ensemble The Meadow Brook Hall Historic Costume Collection

The war combined with the rise in affordable cars saw riding horses fall out of favor in England. By the end of the 1940s, riding was really only something the very wealthy (or the neuvo rich) aspired too do on a regular basis. One no longer promenaded in Hyde Park on horseback. Hunting became the defacto reason to ride. Very few people rode for pleasure except to hunt. Fashion evolved accordingly. The term Riding Habit fell into disuse and when people spoke of riding it became something associated with the bicycle not the horse.

Modern Times

1970? Princess-Anne-of-Great-Britain-in-riding-attire

Equestrian looks still resurface on the runways. I'm a big fan, and I've a whole other blog post prepared on the subject of making this look work for everyday. Equestrian drifts into steampunk often as well ~ there is that military detailing meets cross dressing aesthetic.

 Various equestrian looks: steampunk, street, and runway.

That's all for now, hope you've enjoyed this retrospective!